Quiz: Can You Identify These These Spring Flowers From an Image?: HowStuffWorks

Can You Identify These These Spring Flowers From an Image?

SCIENCE

By: Bambi Turner

7 Min Quiz

Image: Darrell Gulin/Digital Vision/Getty Images

About This Quiz

The end of winter, with its dreary gray skies, endless cold, ice and snow and 4:00 p.m. sunsets, leaves us craving the welcome changes that come with the beginning of spring. Somewhere around the third week of March—at least in the Northern Hemisphere—sandals begin to replace snow boots, birds start making their way back up north and heavy winter gloves are thrust aside for gardening gloves. After all, what's the start of spring without some brilliant blossoms to brighten things up?

While almost all spring flowers add cheer and a pop of glorious color, that's pretty much the only thing they have in common. Some are annuals while others are perennials; some are deciduous with broad leaves while others are evergreens that produce cones; some will grow anywhere, while others need about the same level of attention as a newborn baby; select species remain fresh for days or weeks after cutting, while others start to wilt the same day; and while most spring flower species are totally benign, a scary few hide powerful poison behind their colorful petals.

Think you can tell the difference between one species of spring flowers and another? Prove it with this quiz!

Darrell Gulin/Digital Vision/Getty Images

This flower—part of the lily family—has large, bell-shaped flowers that start out as simple green shoots peeking out of the ground as winter draws to a close.

Snapdragon

Peony

Lupine

Tulip

With their big, bright blooms in vibrant shades of red, pink, white and yellow, the 75+ species in the tulip family are some of the most popular spring flowers. These flowers are part of a unique phase in history—a "Tulip Mania" in the 1600s sent the price of this plant soaring. The craze was caused by a virus, which gave some tulips a variegated appearance.

Advertisement

Pixabay / Bokja

Can you ID this spring perennial that is part of the Iridaceae family and named for Botanist Friedrich Freese?

Freesia

Gazania

Hyacinth

Bloodroot

Botanist Friedrich Freese lives on thanks to the Freesia—a funnel-shaped flower named in his honor. These blossoms range in color from white to purple and have a scent that resembles the smell of baby powder. Thanks to their long case life, Freesias are a popular cutting flower.

Advertisement

Wiki Commons by Cbaile19

What is the name of this spring flower, which gets its name from the fact that it has three leaves, three sepals and three petals?

Violet

Dogwood

Trillium

Hellebore

The trillium is a trio of trios thanks to its three petals, three leaves and three sepals, which form a flower with a fruity scent. Believe it or not, this flower—which is usually white with yellow stamen—is actually endangered, so picking them is illegal in some areas.

Advertisement

Image Source/Image Source/Getty Images

Think you can identify this Texas native, which sometimes goes by the nickname Texas swamp-mallow?

Peony

Rockrose

Lily of the Valley

Sweet Pea

A perennial herb that can grow as tall as 4 feet, the rockrose features red or pink flowers made up of five petals. The leaves of this plant are serrated along the edges, which doesn't stop the rockrose from attracting everything from hummingbirds to livestock.

Advertisement

Shutterstock

Believe it or not, it's the concentration of aluminum in the soil that determines the color of the blooms on this plant. Know what it's called?

Black-eyed Susan

Hydrangea

Brunnera

Creeping Phlox

Hydrangeas represent a genus of more than 70 species of plants. Ranging from shrubs to small trees, their globe-shaped bunches of flowers are typically white—but the color can change dramatically based on aluminum ions found in the soil.

Advertisement

Masahiro Nakano/a.collectionRF/Getty Images

The species shown here, part of the Amsonia genus, features tight clusters of pale blue flowers. Can you name it?

Dianthus

Snowdrops

Bluestar

Crocus

Native to the Midwestern U.S., the bluestar attracts butteries, hummingbirds and bees with its star-shaped blue flowers, which generally measure less than an inch in diameter. Its leaves are long and slender and fade from green to yellow as summer turns to fall.

Advertisement

Jacky Parker Photography / Moment / Getty Images

Like the look of poppies but find them too fickle to grow? Try this genus of vibrant perennials, which offer the look of poppies with a much greater chance for gardening success.

Rockrose

Redbud

Hyacinth

Anemone

The Anemone genus consists of more than 200 species. Also known as wind flowers—their name means wind in Greek—they come in vibrant shades of purple, red and pink. If you plan to grow Anemone, take caution; they fair much better if you pre-soak the bulbs before planting.

Advertisement

JimSchemel/E+/Getty Images

Name this shade-loving species, which is officially known as Lamprocapnos spectabilis.

Bleeding-heart

Allium

Bluebell

Violet

Bleeding-heart is aptly named, with its delicate heart-shaped flowers in shades of pink, red and white. The "bleeding" comes from the fact that each "heart" has a pendulous petal hanging down toward the ground. These shade lovers thrive in cool spring weather, then pop back up in fall after summer's heat has faded.

Advertisement

pejft/E+/Getty Images

Beware this highly toxic species! While commonly called Wolf's Bane, this is the actual name of the plant you see in this image.

Marigold

Aconite

Freesia

Lilac

Aconite, or wolf's bane, includes more than 250 species of terribly toxic plants. Native to mountainous areas in the Northern Hemisphere, aconite has very dark leaves with serrated edges and purple or deep blue blooms. Even touching this plant can make you ill, but most deaths occur when aconite is used in herbal concoctions.

Advertisement

Diana Haronis/Moment/Getty Images

This plant with heart-shaped leaves is part of the olive family. Think you can identify it?

Sweet pea

Dogwood

Lilac

Redbud

Lilac flowers are only about an inch or less in diameter, but they cluster into cones called panicles to form a dense and fragrant purple bloom. Also known as Syringa, lilac plants can grow up to 10 feet tall and tend to produce flowers starting in mid-spring.

Advertisement

Pixabay / epicantus

The plant you see here actually belongs to the same family as asparagus but is known more for its beautiful flowers than as a delicious veggie. What is this plant called?

Magnolia

Forsythia

Rockrose

Hyacinth

Hyacinths features clusters of fragrant star-shaped flowers that tend to range from violet to blue in color. Their leaves are folded lengthwise, and the bulb of the plant can be toxic, even if you simply touch it with bare hands.

Advertisement

Pixabay By Fotomanie

Can you ID this purple flower named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow?

Trillium

Iris

Peony

Lily of the valley

The Iris genus includes 300 plant species; most produce purple blooms, though select varieties are white, pink or some other hue. These perennials prefer well-drained soil and are easy to spot because they are made up of six petals—three inner ones, known as standards, and three outer ones, called falls.

Advertisement

shutterstock

Which flower shown in this image comes in more than 100 varieties and belongs to the Theaceae family of plants?

Camellia

Tulip

Hellebore

Dianthus

Camellias grow on shrubs measuring 6 to 12 feet high. They are sometimes called tea flowers, because their petals are used to make tea, especially in some Asian countries. Camellia leaves are glossy and thick, and its flowers are large and long-blooming.

Advertisement

Pixabay / MabelAmber

Can you guess the common name of this trumpet-shaped flower, which belongs to the Narcissus genus?

Hydrangea

Creeping phlox

Daffodil

Bloodroot

Daffodils come in cheerful spring shades like pink, orange, yellow and white. They are made up of six petal-like tepals that wrap around an inner trumpet-shaped bloom.

Advertisement

Maria Mosolova/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images

This perennial is one of the few flowers that can survive when planted around a Black Walnut tree and is also known as a Striped Squill. Think you can identify it?

Allium

Puschkinia

Freesia

Snapdragon

Part of the Asparagaceae family, Puschkinias generally grow between 4 and 6 feet in height. They produce clusters of small blueish-white flowers, each of which has delicate deeper blue stripes dividing its petals.

Advertisement

Mandy Disher Photography / Moment / Getty Images

This plant really earns its name thanks to the shape and color of its blooms.

Bleeding-heart

Magnolia

Pansy

Bluebell

Part of the same genus as the hyacinth, bluebells feature up to 12 flowers per stem. Each of these bells has a strong, sweet scent and resembles a bell hanging below the stem. While most bluebells are indeed blue, you can also find varieties in shades of pink, purple or white.

Advertisement

Wiki Commons by Dcrjsr

These flowers grow on shrubs or small trees—including the official state tree of Oklahoma. Know what they are called?

Redbud

Lupine

Hyacinth

Snowdrops

Redbud blooms range from pink to red, and though they are only about half an inch in diameter, they grow in such large numbers that they create impressive-looking trees and shrubs. Also known as Cercis Canadensis, this species has heart-shaped leaves, and the bark on the redbud tree often has mauve or maroon patches.

Advertisement

Pixabay by Couleur

These blooms belong to the Asteraceae family and are also known as treasure flowers. Can you name them?

Iris

Black-eyed Susan

Gazania

Rockrose

Also nicknamed the African daisy or the treasure flower, gazanias are annuals with a high tolerance to drought and a variety of soil conditions. They grow between 6 and 18 inches high and are typically a combination of orange and yellow.

Advertisement

Jill Ferry/Moment/Getty Images

Because these flowers tend to bloom around Easter, they are sometimes known as Easter trees. What other name do they go by?

Anemone

Sweet pea

Forsythia

Camellia

Part of the olive family, forsythias include 11 species of deciduous shrubs that grow between 8 and 10 feet tall. Each spring, these shrubs explode with large numbers of bell-shaped yellow flowers to brighten up the backyard after the cold dullness of winter.

Advertisement

Shutterstock

Do you think you can identify this plant genus, which includes the flower species used in making saffron?

Crocus

Marigold

Bluestar

Crocus

Crocus is a plant genus within the iris family. This early bloomer grows less than a foot tall and produces flowers in shades of purple, yellow and white. The stamen from one type of crocus, known as crocus sativus, are used to produce the yellow spice saffron.

Advertisement

Pixabay By Anelka

Do you know the name of this delicate flowers, which is often described as having a "face" thanks to its color patterns?

Bloodroot

Pansy

Peony

Rockrose

The pansy is a hybrid species within the genus Viola. Stems grow to around 9 to 10 inches high, and flowers are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The flower has a very characteristic design, with two overlapping top petals, a pair of side petals and one larger bottom petal—as well as splashes of color on each of these petals that resemble the shape of a face.

Advertisement

Jackie Bale/Moment/Getty Images

Part of the Galanthus genus. which comes from the Greek for "milk flower," these blooms are white and shaped like a bell.

Lily of the valley

Hydrangea

Snowdrops

Hyacinth

Snowdrops are aptly named: each stem carries one drooping, bell-shaped white flower. Grown from bulbs, these flowers are so eager to sprout that they often bloom before winter is even over.

Advertisement

Pixabay / _Alicja_

This gorgeous annual is part of the family Fabaceae and relatives with legumes.

Tulip

Sweet pea

Gazania

Rockrose

Sweet pea is an annual plant that will climb as tall as 7 feet if it can find enough support nearby. With its honey-like scent and rich purple blooms that resemble butterflies, it's an easy choice for novice gardeners who need low-maintenance plants.

Advertisement

Pixabay / choiseongmi

Remember the name of this shade-tolerant species, which belongs to the Rhododendron genus and happens to be highly toxic if ingested?

Azalea

Trillium

Snapdragon

Bluebell

The beauty of the funnel-shaped azalea flower masks its toxicity—which is so well-known that these flowers are used to raise bees to produce a product known as "Mad Honey" in some areas. From a distance, however, azaleas are prized for their textured petals and cheerful range of colors.

Advertisement

Pixabay/Alexas_Fotos

This fragrant blossom is the official state flower of Mississippi and Louisiana and is known for its large white petals.

Allium

Black-eyed Susan

Magnolia

Lilac

The magnolia is a Southern classic, consisting of more than 200 species known for gorgeous white, fragrant blooms. Its leaves are large and glossy, and its very distinctive green seed pods push out dozens of bright red seeds as the summer draws to a close.

Advertisement

Shutterstock

Do you know the real name of this plant, which is sometimes called the "false forget-me-not?"

Brunnera

Bleeding-heart

Bluestar

Daffodil

Brunnera is a low-maintenance shade plant with bright blue flowers that closely resemble the forget-me-not. They tend to be between 1 and 2 feet high—making them an ideal choice for ground cover—with heart-shaped variegated leaves and five-petal flowers.

Advertisement

Pixabay/KIMDAEJEUNG

Its sweet scent may draw you in, but beware of this highly poisonous plant that belongs to the genus Convallaria.

Freesia

Lupine

Rockrose

Lily of the valley

No, it's not actually a lily, but lily of the valley does produce beautiful bell-shaped white blooms. This perennial is very poisonous if ingested, and even its scent contains a paralyzing agent that can temporarily "blind" your nose to any other smells.

Advertisement

Wiki Commons By Fritz Geller-Grimm

Know the name of this spring flower, which lacks visible stems but has very distinctive heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges?

Lily of the valley

Iris

Dogwood

Violet

Violets are actually an entire genus of more than 500 plant species. Though traditionally purple, their flowers can range from blue to cream or yellow. Each bloom is made up of five petals, with four being fan-shaped and one lobed.

Advertisement

shutterstock

Which flower shown here also goes by the common names carnation or sweet William?

Bluestar

Dianthus

Camellia

Forsythia

The dianthus genus includes more than 300 species of flowers, and believe it or not, almost all of them are pink! The petals are frilled on the edges, and the flowers have a sweet yet spicy scent. Leaves on this perennial are distinctive because they range in color from gray to blueish-green.

Advertisement

shutterstock

Can you name this official state flower of Maryland, officially known as Rudbeckia hirta?

Black-eyed Susan

Bloodroot

Rockrose

Puschkinia

The black-eyed Susan looks similar to a sunflower, and actually belongs to the same plant family, but is much smaller than the sunflower. It's typically less than 3 feet tall with thick, hair-covered leaves. Yellow florets surrounding a brown bud create a daisy-like bloom that's usually less than 4 inches across.

Advertisement

shutterstock

Believe it or not, this perennial is so tough it can begin blooming before the ground thaws. Know what it's called?

Azalea

Hellebore

Primrose

Hydrangea

The perennial primrose starts to send shoots peeking out of the soil even when the ground is still frozen in February. Gardeners love this hardy plant for its delicate scent and tiny blossoms, which are usually pale yellow but can also be white or pink.

Advertisement

Jacky Parker Photography/Moment/Getty Images

You might know them as blanket flowers, but can you recall the real name for genus?

Peony

Gaillardia

Petunia

Lilac

Gaillardias look a bit like daisies but are easy to distinguish thanks to their brilliant red-and-yellow hue. They are easy to care for, making them a popular choice for those with limited gardening skills, and their broad blooms look lovely when cut and arranged in a vase.

Advertisement

Wiki Commons by Atilin

Despite measuring less than an inch in diameter, the flowers on this plant pack a powerful punch because they tend to spread over a large area. Think you can identify them?

Creeping phlox

Iris

Rockrose

Brunnera

Creeping phlox only grows about 6 inches tall but can spread a few feet across the ground, covering it with tiny blossoms ranging from purple to pink or white. These perennials keep their leaves year round and are a popular choice for rock gardens or as a form of ground cover.

These evergreen perennials are so poisonous that even animals won't eat them—and you shouldn't even touch them. Do you recognize them?

Forsythia

Hellebore

Lily of the valley

Magnolia

The hellebore genus includes 20 species of very poisonous evergreens. While they are unrelated to the rose family, some have names like winter rose, Christmas rose or Lenten rose. Hellebore blooms are velvety and measure 3 inches across on average.

Advertisement

Zoonar RF / Zoonar / Getty Images Plus

Name this flower that belongs to the Antirrhinum genus, thrives in cool weather and produces bright flowers in shades like purple, red, yellow and pink.

Anemone

Daffodil

Snapdragon

Bleeding-heart

Snapdragons or dragon flowers produce a stalk as tall as four feet that is loaded with colorful blossoms. They get their unusual name from the fact that if you squeeze the sides of each flower, it looks like a dragon with a wide-open mouth—as if prepared to breathe out flames.

Advertisement

Jonathan Chiang/Scintt / Moment / Getty Images

Which genus of plants shown here includes 200 or more species within the legume family?

Camellia

Trillium

Gazania

Lupine

Lupines are perennials with gray or silver-green leaves covered with fine hairs. They produce clusters of small florets that can look like much larger flowers from a distance and are very easy to grow in a variety of conditions.

Advertisement

Jacky Parker Photography/Moment/Getty Images

Can you name this plant family, which includes onions, garlic and leeks as well as dozens of ornamental flowering species?

Puschkinia

Allium

Tulip

Gazania

Also known as ornamental onion, allium includes dozens of plants that produce generous globe-like blooms composed of clusters of flowers. Available in colors ranging from white to deep purple, allium is know for being both deer-resistant and attractive to bees, butteries and birds.

Advertisement

Gerard Hermand / Moment / Getty Images

Can you name this plant perfect for cut flower selections and known for its lush bloom made up of velvety compound petals?

Aconite

Black-eyed Susan

Peony

Hydrangea

Peonies are perennials that grow as tall as 3 feet. Their large and fragrant flowers produce a rose-like scent and are full and lush thanks to compound petals. You can find peonies ranging from purple to red, white or yellow.

Advertisement

Susan Ruggles/Photodisc/Getty Images

This spring plant gets its name from the colorful sap in its stems and roots. Can you name it?

Bloodroot

Hyacinth

Snowdrops

Anemone

Bloodroot, or Sanguinaria canadensis, is so named because it released rusty orange-red sap when its stems or roots are cut. When intact, however, this spring flower produces gorgeous blooms with many yellow stamen surrounded by between 8 and 12 white petals.

Advertisement

Masahiro Makino/Moment/Getty Images

The deciduous tree or shrub shown here belongs to the genus Cornus and produces huge numbers of flowers each spring. Do you know its common name?

Daffodil

Dogwood

Freesia

Lilac

Dogwoods love to show off in spring, producing huge numbers of white or pink blossoms between March and May. By fall, the flowers have faded away, and Dogwoods produce bright scarlet berries as its leaves turn from green to red or gold.

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy
and confirming that you are 13 years old or over.